The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-02-26
COMMUNICATED
From Another Director.

EDITOR ADVocATE:-In last weeks issue of
your worthy paper appeared an article signed
"A Director" "1n which the writer makes feeble
attempt to shield Mr.. Snyder from criticism. To
show that our EV vR JEALOUS sUPERISTENDENT
was not negligent in the duties pertaining to his
Office he takes several items from the report
made to the Department of Public Instruction
and contrasts Supt. Suyders school visits with
those of the Supt. of Allegheny county. With all
respect, Mr. Director, why did you not contrast
Supt. Snyder's work with the work done IN a
neighboring county? Let me do that for you.
liy contrasting Supt. Snyder's Report of School
VisitatiOns with Supd. Weiss, of SChuylli!l, we
find that the fOrmer-Snyder-m S74 visits of
from an hour to an hour and half In length
average length of visit III hours. MIR. Director,
how did you get the average length of his visits?
You say one hour and thirty-two minutes,
the report does not say so. Sce Report of Pub
lie instruction, 1856, and tUrn TO page g7l. The
latter Weiss-made G72 visits averaging IA
hours In length. In another form, Supt. Snyder
spent 4G71a hours in visitatiOns. Supt. Weiss
zoos hours. Again by dividing 4G7ii hours by G.
the number Of hours in school day-we learn
that Supt Snyder spent rs days in school vista
tons. BY the same mode Of calculation Supt
Weiss spent lGs days in his school visitations.
Allowing Supt SNYDER GO days more for teachers
examinations institutes and for making out his
reports, we learn that our CONSCIENTIOUS Sup
erintendcnt spent l3s days in the noble cause of
education out of Il possible 3l3. Supt Keck, of
Berks, reports 262 days spent in official work.
Mr.. Director might say that these Supernten-
dents have more schools to visit and compare.
lively they spend less time in each school than
Mr. Snyder did. Mr.. Director also compares
salaries and thinks apparently that the number
of visits should depend upon the amount of the
salary. Let us examine this last argument: A
and B have agreed with theiI respective boards
to teach certain schools; A has u. reed to teach
his school for $50 per month: b has agreed to
teach his school for $50 per month. Now, Mr..
Director, according to your chain of reasoning,
time spent in school work depending on the
| amount of salary paid. A works five hours per
day While B works six hours per day; Mr.. Direc-
tor is that the way teachers are allowed TO work
Is not the superintendent paid for years work? ?
If he Is; the schools have right to look for It.
Butanother question arises through this; what
did the Superintendent do for our schools during
these 374 visits? Did lie have any practical sug-
gestOns for the teachers? Did he have any
thing new for his teachers in the line of methods,
and. If he had, did he show his methods by
IHFNtNoi ANsNhihSi 10 VIII lllt
wants of our schools? Is tile neFuS between
himself and his teachers as it should be between
teachers and pupils, or, has he through ego
tism and superior assumptions, lost the conf
dence and sympathy of his teachers so essential
for true progress In school work? If, Mr. Direc-
tor, win take the pains to investigate this matter
carefully, he will undoubtedly reach different
conclusion. As regards the time spent in the
Building and Loan Association and with the
Town Council he-Director-says only four hours
! are required per month, and that in the evening,
(O (?) CD. Director, were You ever member of
Town Council, or secretary and solicitor for a
Building and Loan Association? Acertain sec
rciary Of Building and Loan Association told
me his secretaryship occupies his attention (all
told FOR two and half months each year, and
this without being the solicitor. Director, how
much time does Supt. Snyder spend at his law
business@ Last term OF court lie had four cases
These are questions, Mr., Director, that we ought
TO consider before we east our ballots for him
next May. DIRECTOR No. ?.